


Through the Years

by peoniesandbooks5



Category: Dark (TV 2017)
Genre: All the missing scenes that I thought about while watching the third season, Established Relationship, F/M, Romance, Season 3 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:35:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25507564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peoniesandbooks5/pseuds/peoniesandbooks5
Summary: They were young when they travelled to the past. They grew old in a time where they did not belong and had to face more obstacles than any couple should. But their love was stronger than their fate.(How I imagine their life in the late 19th century/early 20th century looked like)
Relationships: Bartosz Tiedemann/Silja Tiedemann, Franziska Doppler/Magnus Nielsen
Comments: 19
Kudos: 44





	1. 1888 - 1903

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first written piece that I publish and I already feel like I should apologize which doesn't make a good first impression. So I won't do it.  
> I've always loved writing little snippets but I never finished anything. With this I just felt the need to share it and get feedback.  
> Franziska and Magnus' chemistry captured me from the first season on and I was kind of disappointed that they did not play any major role throughout the whole show. While watching the third season I thought about so many scenes that could have been part of their lives and I had to write them down.  
> I hope that at least one person on here likes it haha. :)
> 
> The characters and the overall story do not belong to me but to the amazing creators of DARK that I truly admire for everything they came up with.
> 
> (English is not my first language and I only edited this by myself. I hope I didn't mess up the tenses too much..  
> If you find any huge mistakes please tell me!)

1903

They were still here in this godforsaken time period. Nothing had changed in the past 15 years. At least nothing that could have helped them get back to the 21st century. Franziska had to admit that she lost all hope that they were meant to go back at all. There were more and more signs that this was their fate. They would continue their life here and die before they were even born.  
She was 32 years old and on most days she felt like she was at least 60. Life in the 20th century was so different from what they had known and she was still struggling with adapting to it. Even after 15 years. How could she? Especially as a woman? She had no worth here and no goal in life other than creating something to reach a time in which everything was easier for her. Where she would be able to work, to see her family, to do something with her life.  
For the most part these past few years were quite uneventful in comparison to what they experienced in their old lives. However, there were a still a few things that did happen which changed their lives throughout the years. 

1888

Not long after arriving in this horrible time period where neither of them wanted to be in, they've met a strange version of Martha. Franziska had seen the hope in Magnus' eyes when she appeared in the Tannhaus factory out of nowhere. They had both struggled a lot with the fact that they would never be able to see their families again and that they were probably all dead. They only had each other from now on. So when this version of Martha stood in front of them there was nothing more devastating for Magnus to realise that this was in fact not the sister he grew up with. This stranger helped them only to disappear afterwards like she had never been there. And that brought Magnus in another emotional downfall.  
She could remember them sitting in the tavern with Bartosz, drinking ale and not saying anything for the whole evening. Later, when Franziska found herself laying in bed with Magnus she could sense his physical and mental tension and tried to make him talk without any success. So she only laid her head on his shoulder and her arm on his torso. If he wanted to he would talk eventually.  
Neither of them slept at all that night. 

1890

Then there had been Silja. Who appeared out of nowhere just like this strange version of Martha. And Bartosz found a new reason to continue this life that they had to live. While Franziska felt an even bigger desire to leave this century with 20 than with 17 she discovered that Bartosz and even Magnus seemed to be okay with this life. More often than not she would find herself working with Jonas alone on the machine while the others were out roaming the woods or drinking in the tavern.  
Silja was no help at all. She, of course, fit perfectly in this time. She knew how to behave as a woman here when Franziska had always struggled to fit in. Her biggest problem was that she did not want to fit in. How could she? She came from a time were women had the same rights as men, for the most part at least, and she was able to do what she wanted and with whom she wanted. Here, the talks had been loud when the citizens of Winden had gotten to know them and had come to the realization that Magnus and herself were living together without being married. Franziska had to giggle every time she thought of it and she had made a point of always kissing her boyfriend passionately during their nights out in Erna's tavern.  
But Silja had always been different. She was friends with all the women in town and spent her days washing the dishes, her clothes, and cleaning the house that she occupied. On top of that, Bartosz did not want her to know of their origin and what they were doing in the Tannhaus factory.  
Of course Bartosz and Silja fell in love. They were like the dream couple of the whole town. Everyone loved them, supported them and they integrated themselves in the society without any problems. While Magnus and herself were the black sheep of Winden.

1898

Franziska sat on this fact for a few years. Even though she did not care what others thought of her she sometimes felt bitter about the fact that she was looked upon as the outsider so heavily. The nearing turn of the century made her want a change. If they did not make it out of here she would at least try to make the best of it.  
“Maybe we just have to adapt. This life is not that bad. I mean we survived the last 10 years already.”  
These words out of Magnus' mouth would have made her furious just a few months before but in addition to her current thoughts they made her try. And she tried everything she could without losing herself in the process. She really did. She tried to live among the other citizens of Winden. She learned to do needle work so she could sit together with the other women and chat. She helped Erna and Silja in the tavern and talked to the customers. Most of the men were quite respectful towards her. She figured that this was only because of Magnus and the fact that they did not want to mess with him. They could not ignore the fact that he was huge, especially next to her tiny frame. His look when they came too close to her was everything that was needed for them to back off.  
Sometimes Franziska even helped the women on the fields during harvest season. Life was better. She was slightly more accepted and the people grew fond of her. On Bartosz' wedding day she was the life of the party. She played with the children, ran after them, swung them around. Various men showed her different dances and new moves. Everytime she looked in Magnus' direction he was smiling at her and she felt like 17 again. The love they shared overwhelmed her in that moment and she couldn't help but rush towards him. He must've felt it too because he opened his arms with the brightest laugh on his face and embraced her enthusiastically. Their deep kiss made her legs grow weak.  
He had been her anchor for the past 10 years but she only realised it in this exact moment. Magnus put her back down and they looked in each others eyes. Maybe, just maybe this life was not bad at all.  
Later, when they laid in bed naked she could still sense all the heartwarming feelings radiating from him. Magnus was the most loving person she had ever met. He was always the mediator in their small group. When Bartosz, Jonas and herself were too headstrong to back down he was the one that was able to settle the argument between them. His true reason for helping Jonas was the fact that he would do everything that a friend would ask of him. He would do everything for Jonas and he would do everything to save Martha, his mother, his father, Mikkel.  
“Do you think we would be together if we would have been growing up here?” Franziska asked him out of the blue. She noticed that he had almost fallen asleep. She looked up from the position she was laying on his torso. His eyes were filled with questions but he smiled. Magnus brushed his hand slowly from her thigh up to her hand and took it in his larger one. His fingers played with hers for a while.  
“Of course. I mean you are still the most beautiful, fiercest and smartest woman in this town. And it wouldn't have changed anything if we had been born here.”  
“I'm not so sure about that." She paused. "I wouldn't have had any possibilities to grow in this world. The schools here are not great for girls, the talk between the women is so uninspiring and even as an adult I am not allowed to express my opinions on anything except children.” Franziska looked down to avoid his eyes. Magnus' hand went up to her face and caressed her cheek. His index finger moved slowly under her chin to turn her head towards him.  
“Didn't you hear her when she told us about this other world? I would even choose you if you were deaf. I wouldn't care and I do not care now. We would always be together. In our time, in this time, in another time, in another world. You are my destiny.” Her heart almost exploded.  
Sometimes she wondered where all of this came from. When they grew up he had always been this big boy, the leader of the pack, the cool guy. More often than not she had been intimidated by him. That had only changed when they got older and she felt more confident in herself. The air around them had changed and she was able to feel the chemistry between them. There had been this pull towards him and that had only strengthened after the incident at the lake. Everything changed afterwards and she was deeply grateful now.  
“But you know what? If we had been growing up in this time, you would must have married me by now” he stated with a grin. She rolled her eyes. They had this conversion over and over again. She thought Magnus had accepted her antipathy towards marriage.  
“You know why I won't marry you. I never wanted to marry anyone. Why would this stupid time period change that?” He let out a short laugh.  
Sometimes it was hilarious that they were here with old-fashioned furniture, clothing, no real technology but that they were talking like they did back in the 21st century.  
“Yes, I know. And I respect that. It's okay for me as long as I can do everything a married man would be allowed to do with his wife in this time period.” He winked at her and slowly her lips turned into a small smile.  
“Oh, so you want to beat me?” She faked bewilderment and now it was his time to roll his eyes.  
“You know exactly what I meant.”  
Frantiska turned around, sat on top of him and winked. Of course she knew what he had meant.

-

A few weeks later they found themselves at the shore of the lake. It was their spot in 2019. They had discovered that the lake already existed in the late 19th century shortly after arriving there.  
Today was her 28th birthday.  
For now, age did not really matter to her. She did not care for her birthday anyway. Every passing year meant one more year without her family.  
Sometimes she wondered what Elisabeth would be doing right now. Franziska never lost the hope that she had survived the apocalypse somehow. Her little sister would be 19 now, older than she had been when she had seen Elisabeth for the last time. Maybe she would have a boyfriend today, or a girlfriend. But maybe she would only think of her studies and become the smartest woman in the world.  
She felt Magnus' arm sneaking over her shoulders, pulling her body into his. “What are you thinking about?”  
“Elisabeth” she just said and Magnus squeezed her arm. “Don't you wish Jonas would talk more about what he had done in between the moment he left and now. He is so much older than we are and he clearly has seen a lot. Maybe he travelled to the future or to the past or whatever. Maybe he has met some of our relatives.” Her eyes wandered over the lake. Sometimes she found it strange that so much changed from 1900 and 2000 but the nature was still almost the same. There were only slight changes from now to their original time. The trees were a little bit smaller, there were no power lines and the water was cleaner. That did not change the fact that it was still their spot. The one place in town she would always associate with the man next to her.  
Her hand went to her bird necklace which she still wore under all the heavy dresses she needed to wear in public. The one physical memory she had left of her family.  
“I will ask him again tomorrow.” She had bombarded Jonas with questions multiple times already but he had always stremained silent until she was too frustrated and left in a huff.  
“Don't worry too much, please.” The man dearest to her heart brushed a single tear from her cheek. Franziska smiled. “No, yes. You're right.”  
Magnus fiddled with his pockets and pulled something out. She couldn't make out what it was out of the corner of her eyes.  
“Maybe this will help you think of something else. Maybe it will cheer you up.” he said and grabbed her right hand. He opened it and put his fist inside. She realized again how small her hand was in comparison to his and how bruised and weathered his was. Hers was as soft as she could manage in this time where cosmetics was by far no standard. The familiarity of their differences made her heart beat just a little bit faster. It comforted her.  
Slowly he opened his fist and let the thing fall into her hand. It was small and cold. When he pulled his hand away she was able to see it. A ring. For a second, neither of them said anything.  
“Magnus. We talked about -”  
“I know. We talked about it. And I know your opinion hasn't changed but neither has mine. You don't have to marry me. Not officially at least. But we are stuck here and we have to face the fact that we will grow old here. And this is just a promise to you. I will stay by your side and we will survive this stupid mistake together. I love you and I want you to never doubt that. Please take it. I know how stubborn you are. I bet you are already creating a speech in your head with all the reasons why you can't. Just like I prepared this speech because I knew how you would react. Please, do this one thing for me. Let me make this promise to you. That I will love and cherish you until we die. In this time or another. I don't care. But I will always take care of you if you let me.” Franziska could see tears forming in his eyes and looked down at the ring in her hand. It was beautiful. Almost as beautiful as his words. She could not help but feel pulled towards him in every situation she found herself in.  
“Okay.” She didn't have any more words. She felt empty and full of love at the same time.  
“Really? Just like that?” He asked in bewilderment.  
“Yes, just like that” Franziska chuckled and the tears in Magnus' eyes finally fell down. His lips formed the biggest grin she had ever seen. The next second she felt him kissing her with way too much force which made her fall backwards. They both laughed, cried and kissed each other for a long time.  
“Don't you want to put it on?” He asked.  
“Only if you do it” she answered and felt his hand already on hers. Magnus slowly slid the gold band on her finger.  
“Thank you” she whispered.  
Later in the evening, when their small group met for dinner at the tavern to celebrate her birthday everyone looked at the ring curiously but no one said anything. Franziska stopped every unspoken question with her look alone. She would not talk about it anyway and nobody tried to make her. But she bet that Bartosz would grill Magnus with questions if he had not been involved in the older man's plans already.

1900

Sometimes they talked about children. Did they want to have kids? In the 21st century, yes. In the early 20th century, not so much. But sometimes she would dream about a little girl with Magnus' mesmerizing eyes. Or a little boy that he would play with and that she would sing for at night.  
They did not try to have a child actively. But they did not try to avoid it either. Maybe this was another sign for her that she was okay with living here after all. If she would get pregnant, she would be happy and Magnus would be over the moon. Franziska knew that his wish for children was almost bigger than hers. Of course a pregnancy and a birth would not be as safe for her here than in the time from which they came from but there were a lot of women in the town that had managed everything so she would too.  
After a while she even hoped to get pregnant. The couple would talk more and more about it. About being parents, sharing their love with other humans, having a reason to enjoy this life.  
But month after month she lost more hope and she could see the sadness mirroring in Magnus' eyes as well. More than a year of trying had passed and the hope was gone almost completely and the topic became too sensitive to even talk about. Franziska would cry during the night and be silent during the day. Even Jonas had noticed that something had not been okay and asked her straightforward on a day at which they worked on their own at the factory. At first she had avoided to answer his questions and he had stopped asking but after an hour in silence she blurted it out and started to cry. Franziska could feel the uneasiness surrounding him but then she felt his arms supporting her. Jonas hugged her for the first time since she met his older self. And it felt strangely comforting. Franziska felt better afterwards and they managed to finish their tasks for the day without another incident.  
In the evening, they met up with Silja, Bartosz and Magnus. The latter noticed at first glance that Franziska looked better than when she left in the morning. He stood up and kissed her forehead which made her smile. She could not deny that she still loved their height difference. She felt safe in his embrace and she sensed that she was now able to enjoy it again.  
They sat down and for the first time in months she truly enjoyed the company of the others.

1903 

It was 1903 and Franziska was 32 years old. Children were still a sensitive topic for her but she did not think about it every second of the day. Sometimes it was not even on her mind for weeks.  
In the forefront of her thoughts was time travelling and a way to get out of here again. She missed her family now more than ever. Especially Elisabeth who would be 24 now.  
Her attempt to start her own little family here had not been successful so she desperately wanted to get her old one back.  
In a normal life she would care more for her parents now than they would need to for her and she was certain that she would spend long hours with her sister talking about Elisabeth' classes, her own work, men and even politics. She wished she would have got more time with them.  
Her only substitute for her sister in this time was Silja. And despite Franziska's distrust at the beginning they started to grow closer. The brunette was a few years younger than her and the closest to a sister she would probably get after all. Now that Franziska opened up to her they were able to talk about a lot of things and she was happy that she could share the burdens of being a woman with her. The only thing Silja never spoke to her about was her past. She had the feeling that Bartosz knew more than he let on but they both avoided all of her questions so after a short while she made the decision to not care. Her past had been complicated as well and so she accepted that others did not want to share their history.  
Franziska had always been friends with more boys than girls but sometimes she missed talking to the females in her life. Silja filled this role perfectly. She was quieter than Franziska but she still had a strong view on certain things and the desire to make more of her life.  
And more of her life she did make.  
“I am pregnant” Silja blurted out one evening and Franziska felt like in trance. She could hear her spoon falling on the table and feel a hand grabbing her thigh underneath the table. Other than that she only heard incomprehensible noise and felt tears filling her eyes to the brim. She had to get out of there. Fast.  
Franziska grabbed her skirt, stood up and left the tavern. She heard Magnus calling her name but ignored it. She could not face anyone right now. Not even him. She hoped this was the one time he would sense her longing for loneliness. Maybe she acted childish but she could not care less about what her friends thought of her.  
Franziska did not know where she was going but ended up at the shore of the lake. Their spot. This stupid spot where they had met somehow in the past and in the future simultaneously. Where he had spotted her floating body and their eye contact was on fire afterwards. Maybe it would've been better if they had never gotten closer to each other. Just a passing nod in the hallways or a simple school project together where she would do everything and he would do nothing at all. And after graduation they would have gone their separate ways and only seen each other at some stupid reunion party.  
If that would have been the case then she would not think about children right now and there would not be a reason for her to disappoint him. She felt powerless. He deserved children. He was so good with the children in town and they loved him. He was the strong, loving uncle that they could have fun with. He could share a laugh with the teenagers and make a fool of himself with the little ones. He loved to dance with the girls, chase after the boys through the whole town or play cops and robbers with all of them. She would have loved to see him do all these things with their own children. In moments like these she could still see herself sitting down on a bench with a baby in her lap while he ran around the street with a small girl on his shoulders that had auburn hair like herself and big eyes just like him.  
She was lost in her thoughts when she noticed the presence of someone behind her. Franziska did not have to turn around to know it was Magnus. He sat down behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her middle. She had thought she wanted to be alone but this moment made her realise that she needed him. Always. He was still her rock, her saviour and her home. There would be nothing that could separate them.  
For a long time they sat there intertwined. Franziska leaned back against him and closed her eyes while Magnus put his head on hers and one of his hands played mindlessly with her beloved necklace.

Their love was stronger than their fate.


	2. 1909-1920

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm back!
> 
> I'm sorry for posting this second chapter so damn late... My university literally killed me with everything I had to do...  
> But today I finally finished the editing of this chapter. Yay! And if you like this story I have great news. This won't be the last chapter as intended. I am not happy with this as the ending so I decided to continue this journey. That's why this chapter is a little bit shorter...
> 
> I have to add one thing beforehand: I am 24 years old and have no idea what a 40 year old woman really thinks, behaves, etc. I hope my representation is somewhat believable. (Especially regarding Franziska's character traits...)
> 
> Have fun with the years 1909-1920!

1909

Franziska felt old. She was almost 40 now. Her back hurt after she had worked for more than a few hours on the machines, her joints cracked when she got up in the morning, and the sex was not the same either. It was not bad and they still had a lot of it but it was just... different. She missed her body from before. Before they had to travel. With 17 she was able to move her limbs like a fairy and now she sometimes felt more like an elephant.  
Franziska stared at her naked self in the cracked mirror they had in their bedroom. Her hips were wider, her thighs a lot thicker and her upper arms were wobbly. She hated days like these where she felt too insecure to even look at her face. She could not stand all the wrinkles that were caused by the hard labour in the summer outside and the years filled with worries that laid behind them.   
“Can you please stop looking at yourself and come back to bed?” she heard a sleepy voice behind her that caused her to turn around.   
Magnus laid there, the sheet only covering the lower part of his body. He had changed almost as much as she had but in her eyes he was still as handsome as ever. Different, but definitely not in a negative way. His shoulders were still as broad and she loved to lay her head there at night. His hair was streaked with grey strands which was the reason she teased him regularly by calling him her silver fox in front of Bartosz and Silja. He always gave her the middle finger for that which made her laugh. Secretly she thought his grey hair looked rather sexy. Just as his body did. The hard work caused it to be even more muscular than when they had been younger. And his eyes were still the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen. She turned back around to continue looking at herself.  
“You should see yourself through my eyes”, Magnus continued, “You're the most sexy sight right now.”   
Franziska huffed and rolled her eyes. But on the inside the butterflies fluttered even after 20 years. They locked eyes through the mirror. His were filled with so many emotions and she felt like he could see the same in hers. She would have never thought that they would spend the rest of their lives together when they had started their relationship. But here she was still in love with him like she had been at 17, even though there were many times when he annoyed her to no end. They were always bickering and fighting. It felt like a second nature to them.  
Franziska tried to pick up the undergarment that laid next to the bed when she felt his hand wrapping around her wrist. He pulled her towards himself and soon she was lying on the bed with Magnus above her. “Say something.”   
She tried to wriggle away from his grip but he was too strong. When she looked him in the eyes she was able to see curiosity mixed with sadness. She hated this look.  
“We need to get up.” She did not want to discuss any of her stupid problems with him. He would not understand any of them and it made her furious that she knew that he would not back down until she would speak.  
“No, we don't. Talk to me.” There it was. He definitely knew what to say to make her boil with anger after 20 years together. This was one of the moments in which she hated him but at the same time understood where he came from. If they had problems they needed to talk about it because otherwise it would not get better. It was one of the principles they agreed on early on in their relationship. And they were good at sticking to it. They fought a lot but in the end they were able to talk about everything and make up. However, with this she felt silly and embarrassed.   
“You want me to talk to you? Fine.” she paused for a short breath to collect her thoughts. “I've always been confident. Even at 17 I knew what I wanted and I knew how to get it. I liked my body. I didn't care what others thought of me. And I still know what I want but the older I get the more I see that I'm changing. My hair gets thinner, my thighs bigger and I hate that I notice all of this. Why is this bothering me so much?” Franziska was on the brink of tears but she would not dare to cry right now. It was a strange mix of anger and sadness that made her tear up and she did not like it at all.  
“Thank you.” She felt his hand brush over her cheek while he continued: “My feisty Franziska is back. That's all I wanted.” Magnus had the biggest smile on his face and she wanted to punch it right off of him. But her own mouth betrayed her and she had to grin as well. He was impossible!  
“I just love when you get angry.” Magnus teased her.  
In her position she could only manage to slap his torso and press her hands against it to make him pull back and let her go. She was too weak which only deepened Magnus' smile and he leaned down to kiss her. Passionately. And she fell for it immediately. Franziska did not know what it was with his kisses that softened her so much. Their kiss grew even more passionate and soon they found themselves fully entangled in each other again. Her anger was long gone when they had finished their lovemaking. Magnus had been able to increase her confidence with his caresses and looks alone.   
Maybe that was what kept them going all this time. The mix between her passion and his love was what made them stick together no matter what came their way.  
And maybe the fact that they still acted like teenagers all the time. In his arms she felt like she was 17 forever.  
Afterwards, when she had the chance to get dressed without him interrupting Magnus turned towards her and watched her. “Do you feel better?” He asked with prominent concern.  
Franziska looked back at him and realised that she was lucky. Maybe they did not have any children but they had each other and that was all she needed. And the problems she had had with her body? Maybe they would fill her thoughts again during the next days but for now they were gone with the wind.  
“Yes. Thank you.”   
-  
“Hanno, Magnus, dinner is ready” she shouted out of their kitchen window. On the street in front of the house she could see the young boy and his godfather kicking a ball back and forth. Hanno loved spending time with them and Franziska had to admit that she grew quite fond of the boy. Both herself and Magnus felt the need to care for him since Bartosz was not as good of a parent as he should have been. It sometimes felt like he was almost disgusted with his own child which made Franziska so angry. Silja was the only thing that kept him sane but even she did not know what to do at times. So their son spent a lot of days with herself and her husband. She really liked the term now. It made them feel mature and it represented their connection to each other. Magnus and Franziska. Husband and wife. It showed themselves as a unity which they definitely were even though they never officially married. In her mind they were equal and independent but she loved to know that she was deeply connected to somebody else.  
Hanno and Magnus stormed through the door the moment they heard that they were allowed to eat something. Her boys were always hungry and the thought alone made her smile. Maybe it was not as bad to play the housewife sometimes as she had always imagined. She liked spending time with them and if it meant that she needed to cook from time to time than she would not say anything against it... As long as she did not have to do it everyday. And she was lucky. Magnus loved to cook. He had always done it with his grandmother and definitely knew his way around a kitchen. She had always said that he would need it to impress women and Franziska could only approve. It was just another point in her long list of things she loved about him.  
Magnus and herself enjoyed being godparents. It was that much easier than being parents. They were able to choose when to spend time with Hanno and what to do with him. And afterwards, they were able to bring him back to his real home. Maybe this was how it was meant to be. This was their fate.  
Bartosz and Silja's son was almost like their own child, however they were still able to maintain their freedom. When the boy was not with them they spent their evenings at the tavern, the lake or just in bed together. They had adapted to the lifestyle of the early 19th century very well by now. It was probably something that had come with age. They had spent more time of their lives here then in the 21st century which made her head spin for a bit. They belonged here now.   
“Aunt Franziska, thank you for cooking.” The little boy looked at her with his big blue eyes while Magnus made her sit down, kissed the top of her head and filled their plates with food. Her hand caressed Hanno's. She looked around the kitchen and smiled. It felt like everything had clicked into it's right place. She had a good life now. Her only wish was to be able to see her little sister again. She still could not believe that she was probably dead.

1915

“Franziska, stay. I need to talk to you” Jonas told her with his stern voice. He always had such a serious expression on his face but today it was even stronger. It was still weird to see him like this. So scarred and not like the Jonas she had known in the past. She looked to Magnus beside her and with a small smile and a nod she left his side to go back into the large office. She could sense that he was hesitant but left after a few seconds of silence regardless.  
“What is so important? Is there still something to do on the machines?” she wondered loudly. Her input on physics and the technology behind everything had always been appreciated by him but Jonas never really talked to them anymore.   
He wanted to be called Adam now and even though he explained everything he wanted them to know Franziska could not bother with calling him something else. He was Jonas and he would always be. Even when he sat in front of her right now and looked not one bit like the Jonas of their youth.  
“We need to talk about Elisabeth.” She could feel her heart stop for a second. Elisabeth? Her sister?  
Jonas continued: “She is alive.” Her heart stopped again only to speed up it's rhythm. This sentence alone was enough to drive Franziska over the edge. She had to grip the chair in front of her to stabilize herself. The words in her head were jumbled around and she tried to form coherent sentences.  
“Elisabeth? My sister? What are you talking about?”   
“She survived the apocalypse and she is still alive.” It sounded like he talked to her as if she was a child. And maybe he thought so. Why would he have not told her before? He knew that all along? And he did not bother to say something to her? That made Franziska's blood boil and she almost lost herself. She was very close to attacking him.  
“You knew she was alive the whole time? You knew and you never told me? Us? Who else survived that you did not want to tell us? Where is she? How do you know all of that?”  
“I couldn't tell you. The time had not been right.” He was too calm.  
“Oh, but now it is? Are you kidding me? It's not that I could've changed anything anyway being stuck here in this shithole!” Her head pounded and she had to hold even tighter to the chair in front of her. She was so close to punching him in the face.  
“I'm certain you will see her again. When everything is at it's right place.” It was the only thing Jonas answered.  
“You tell me where she is! WHERE IS MY SISTER?” Franziska was sure everyone could hear her voice outside.   
“She's in the future. But do not worry, Hanno is taking good care of her.”  
Franziska's anger went away for a second and she looked at him perplexed. She was not able to register correctly what he had just said. It did not make any sense to her. Hanno. He was a boy and he was here with them. Hanno and Elisabeth? “Excuse me?”   
“You've heard me just fine. Hanno will grow up under my care. Me and his older self will guide him and once the apocalypse will happen he will be with the others in the bunker. And they will survive. And he will take care of her. I can promise you that because I've seen it with my own eyes.”   
“I don't give a damn about your promises! You don't care about any of us as long as you get what you want. You know what? I hate you!” With that Franziska stormed out of the room. She couldn't see his visage any more. He really was the shittiest person around. How could he keep things like these a secret?   
Later, when Franziska sat on a bench in the woods she thought about the whole revelation. Maybe she had reacted a little too harshly. At least Elisabeth was as safe as the future could be. The only thing that still made her furious was the fact that Jonas had kept everything to himself the whole time. He could have told her because it would have not changed anything. Only that she would have felt the relief that she felt right now. Elisabeth was alive. That was the only thing of importance.  
She thought of Hanno. He was a great boy and he would probably be a great man someday. And now, that he was younger and still around her she would make sure that he knew and respected all the important values in life. She would make sure that he would be the perfect partner for Elisabeth. Her sister deserved nothing but the best.   
Franziska's sign language was a bit rusty but the things she still knew she would teach him. And later, when he was older she would teach him how to value women and keep up the important parts of a relationship. Maybe Magnus could take him under his wing too. Hanno would probably need manly advice as well.   
Her head still spun but she knew that she had a new purpose in life. Franziska was glad that it connected her to her sister somehow.

1920

Hanno and Magnus sat at one of the corner tables in the tavern. They did this a lot, just sitting there in the evening, drinking ale and talking. Magnus realised fast after Hanno's birth and then especially after Silja's death that Bartosz was not able to build a deep connection to his son. Bartosz had isolated himself from everything and everyone. Sometimes Magnus missed his best friend. They had grown so close throughout the years but the births of his kids and Silja's death had changed a lot.  
So Magnus made it his task to be an important father figure in Hanno's life.  
There were numerous reasons for his feeling of protection and duty towards the boy. Hanno needed it. It was important to Franziska that he would grow up to be a good partner for Elisabeth. Ulrich had been a great father to him when he had been younger and he wanted Hanno to experience similar things. This was maybe the most selfish reason, but Magnus really craved for a son of his own. He had wanted to see his kids grow up and teach them the ins and outs of this world. Hanno was his only chance to experience that and he took it gratefully. He really liked the boy.  
“How did you and Aunt Franziska meet?” Hanno asked out of the blue which made Magnus pause his thoughts. He put his glass down and looked at the very curious face in front of him. A smile grew on his own when he thought about his and Franziska's 16 year old selves. They were so innocent and carefree. Obviously, they had already dealt with huge family problems but when he looked back now he had to admit that the problems they had to face now were so much larger. But as teenagers everything felt so big and their feelings were so intense.  
Mh, how did they meet? Maybe he should leave out the story at the lake. At least that she had been completely naked and he fully turned on. She had always been too stunning. And maybe he should not tell him that he had stalked her through the woods multiple times. He was aware that these had not been his greatest moments.  
“We went to school together” Magnus decided on the short answer, the classic one.  
Hanno let out a small laugh. “That's it? You've always been friends and then one day you decided to fall in love?”  
“Firstly, you don't decide to fall in love. It just happens. And it can be the best part of your life if you do let it happen. Don't look for it, just experience it.”  
Magnus was almost shocked at his own words. Did he became wise throughout the years? Where did this all come from? He only had one serious girlfriend in his life and they were together for over 30 years now. At 16 he had been the typical teenager who had only one thing on his mind. There had been a few girls before Franziska but it had been just fun on both sides. And then she had entered his life and changed it completely. He was aware of her existence beforehand, they grew up in Winden and there was only one kindergarten, one school and if you were around the same age you did all of these things together, but the summer of 2019 had changed everything. Oh, what he would give to be so young again.  
Hanno was the same age that he had been back then and he knew exactly how he must feel right now. His memories had become blurry throughout the years but the feelings he had as a hormone-driven teenager were still clear in his head. Maybe because he still felt all of them occasionally.   
“And secondly, we've never really been friends. It just happened. One summer was all it took for me to realise that she was the most interesting and definitely most beautiful girl in Winden.” Magnus smiled to himself and continued: “And do you know what? She still is. Even after all these years.”  
Hanno laughed. “I can't believe that you are still so enamoured of her. How old were you back then?”  
“16” Magnus admitted and hoped that Hanno would not go and try to find the love of his life right now. He still had enough time. Magnus knew with whom he would end up and there was still at least a year to go. But maybe a little bit of experience and fun with other girls would not hurt... Especially because Elisabeth would be way too young at first and he had to be more like an older brother to her. This thought made him pause.  
What would have happened if there had not been an apocalypse? Would he be like an older brother to Elisabeth? Would they be close or would they only see each other at family gatherings? Would Franziska have a deep relationship with her sister?  
“Was she the first girl you slept with?” Hanno interrupted the older man's thoughts and he almost choked on his beer. He was not sure if he was ready to talk to him about these things. In this regard, Hanno was way too young and Magnus too old. Did he not have any friends his age to talk about it?   
But maybe it was better that he would talk to him. He only had to think about the questions he had wanted to ask someone more experienced than himself at this age but always felt reluctant to.  
“No, she wasn't. I bet she would like me to tell you she was. Sometimes I wish she had been. But if I really think about it...” He paused. “It did make our times together way better. We both were experienced enough to enjoy it fully. And I'm glad she was able to tell me what she liked and that I knew what to do. But I definitely don't want to encourage you and sleep with all of Winden's young ladies.” He leaned to Hanno to whisper in his ear, even though nobody could listen in on their conversation regardless: "However, a little bit of fun is always nice. Just be careful."  
If Franziska could hear this she would scold him right then and there. It was probably more than she liked Hanno to know. Magnus looked to his right to see her standing behind the counter drying off glasses. When she looked up she saw his grin and stuck her tongue out to him. He had to laugh. She could be hilarious when she wanted to be.  
“If you don't stop immediately you will make me barf” Hanno exclaimed and made Magnus concentrate on their conversation again.  
“I bet you'll be the same when you'll find your dream girl sometime in the future” he ruffled Hanno's hair which the boy tried to avoid by pulling away his head.  
“Oh I don't think so.” Magnus smiled to himself. If Hanno only knew...  
Later, when they had talked about various other things the boy stood up to go upstairs to sleep. He was stopped by the large hand of his godfather.  
“I want to add something to our conversation about girls. The ones that talk back and have a strong mind of their own are always the ones to keep. Believe me, you will never get bored with them.” Hanno thought he had talked about Aunt Franziska and he probably had to some extend. But the young man did not realise at that moment that the words were true in regards to him and his own love. It took him a few more years to think back to the older man and his words and when he did he knew that Magnus must have known more than he had let on. The memory of his godfather made him smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like that I switched to Magnus' perspective for the last scene? Let me know! :)


End file.
